Time & Perspective Quote by Sue Wicks

Wicks’s line lands like a quiet corrective to the reflexive pessimism that often surrounds women’s sports: don’t miss the era you’re living through just because it’s still imperfect. The key move is her phrasing, “try to never lose sight,” which admits how easy it is to get tunnel vision. Athletes are trained to obsess over the next game, the next roster cut, the next headline. Wicks frames perspective as a discipline, not a mood.

The subtext is generational. Born in 1966, Wicks came up when women’s basketball was still fighting for basic legitimacy and infrastructure. By the time she played in the WNBA’s early years, the league itself was an argument in progress: proof of concept, shaky finances, limited coverage, constant comparison to the men’s game. Saying “what a special time” isn’t naive celebration; it’s an athlete’s awareness that access can be fleeting. Women’s sports history is full of momentum followed by neglect.

There’s also a subtle claim of ownership in “to be a women’s basketball player.” Not “female athlete,” not “women’s sports” as a catchall, but the specific identity of the craft. She’s naming a community that’s finally getting closer to the resources, spotlight, and cultural relevance long treated as automatic elsewhere. The intent feels like advice to younger players and a reminder to veterans: gratitude doesn’t mean settling. It means recognizing you’re building something that used to be unimaginable, and still isn’t guaranteed.